Mansfield News Journal slams Kasich's education policy in an editorial.........
From John Curry, April 16, 2011
"It's easy to blame schools for our community's problems. Let's not make that state policy."
OUR OPINION: Don't blame schools for problems
Apr 16, 2011 | If there's one consistent trait of Ohio's governors, it's their desire to leave a personal mark on the state's education system.
Former Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland wanted a longer school year, tougher standards and greater college access in his multi-faceted plan that never got off the ground thanks to politics and the state's budget crunch.
Now, his successor Republican John Kasich wants to change the game with his own ambitious ideas, including:
» Publicly ranking Ohio schools and rewarding those in the top 10 percent, while punishing those in the bottom 5.
» Creating "innovation" schools that, with staff and school board agreement, could get rid of most rules and create their own, possibly including longer class time.
» Doubling the number of school choice vouchers for students in failing districts and lifting Ohio's cap on charter schools.
» Encouraging schools to share services, but not consider consolidation of the state's 613 districts as some believe is necessary.
Kasich's ideas undoubtedly sound compelling to many Ohioans frustrated by the bureaucracy and cost of public education and, in some areas, the poor results we see in state report cards.
We're certainly supportive of removing burdensome unfunded mandates that so many school officials complain about consistently. We're all for making school districts as efficient as possible by consolidating administrative, transportation and other services where savings can be achieved to keep teachers in classrooms.
And we don't mind giving parents more choices, especially if schools are truly failing, as long as charter schools are properly operated.
But we fear Kasich's ambitions ignore one clear reality.
Schools don't always "fail" because the teachers and administrators can't get the job done. They more frequently struggle because educators can't get parents and guardians to make the necessary investments in time and effort to seize the opportunities provided by a public education, even in a district with scarce resources.
Consider that the Ohio Department of Education has found students are far more likely to graduate if they spend three consecutive years in a district, rather than moving constantly. Unfortunately, the trend is for urban students to move more often likely due to economic challenges many families face.
So the idea of "punishing" under-performing districts could prove to be quite unfair unless the criteria clearly consider a multitude of factors, including resources taxpayers provide to schools and parental support.
It takes much more than just good schools and teachers to help kids succeed in class and life. It takes a community willing to invest in its children, demand they graduate from high school and push them to attend college.
It's easy to blame schools for our community's problems. Let's not make that state policy.
posted by Kathie Bracy at 10:53 PM
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